


Where He Can Follow

by EmeraldWaves



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ignoct week Day 3, M/M, Modern AU, Noctis is 18 Ignis is 20, Reincarnation AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 02:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13626309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldWaves/pseuds/EmeraldWaves
Summary: When Ignis is hired as a new butler for Regis Lucis Caelum, he finds something oddly familiar about his son Noctis, especially when he begins to appear in frequent dreams Ignis has of another life.





	Where He Can Follow

Ignis’ dreams are filled with emotions from another world— everything about it feels different. The colors are so vibrant; the dark gray roads, the pale blue skies, the way the grass is the perfect mix of golden and green. There, he always feels like he's driving, heading to some unknown destination that fills him with the utmost sense of dread.

And then he wakes up, returned to the reality that is monotone gray.

Sighing, his hand curls around the muted maroon curtain in his room, pulling it to the side. The rain patters against the window, the droplets slipping down and Ignis feels around for his glasses, placing them on his face.

The last thing he wants to do is be late to his new job. Of course, if Ignis had his way, the only job he would have would be studying. However once his uncle had cut him off, he had no choice but to pick up a job with hours on the weekends and late afternoons to support his university studies.

The highest paying job he had found, embarrassingly enough, was being a maid (or butler he presumed) for some upper class businessman, Regis Lucis Caelum. The name sounded mighty pretentious, and when Ignis had met the man at his home for the interview, he could confirm that yes, this man oozed money from his very pores.

"I'm certain you are curious about what this job entails," Caelum had begun. "Of course there are the typical things; cleaning the rooms, making sure everything is in order, laundry, taking in the mail--household chores really. I can give you a tour after this if you would like. "

"Right, splendid." Ignis had nodded. He hadn't been particularly curious about the job, but the way Caelum had initiated the topic of his duties did have Ignis wondering if there was anything out of the ordinary. "Are there other tasks?"

"Yes. I see on your resume that you dabble in cooking? My son you see is quite, well...lazy, I suppose there isn't a better word for it. Anyway, I wish for you to cook some meals for him at night. He needs to start eating better," Caelum sighed.

"Ah, that's not a problem. How old is your son?" Ignis had inquired, expecting the man to say 11 or 12, old enough to stay home on his own, but not quite old enough to function on his own.

"18."

So, in the end Ignis had been hired and became Regis Lucis Caelum's over-glorified babysitter. Or adult-sitter. He isn't quite sure, seeing as he hasn't met the son, Noctis, yet.

He steps outside into the cold, wet weather, and lifts his umbrella to keep his body dry. It's a Saturday, so presumably it will be him and Noctis in the house alone. He's working full days on the weekends, and evenings during the week. Regis understands he's a student at the local university, and for that Ignis is grateful the man is willing to give him such flexible hours.

The house, or mansion rather, is just outside the city, and only a quick 30 minute train ride from Ignis' campus, so he walks to the train station, listening to the gentle pitter-patter from the rain on his dark umbrella.

The sky is grey, and the rain shows no sign of letting up, so Ignis is admittedly thankful when he steps on the train, wondering what could await him at the Caelum mansion.

~~

Noctis it seems, isn't awaiting him. If he's even home, he doesn't come down to greet Ignis, and the mansion is oddly quiet. So Ignis decides to get to work.

However, there isn't much to do. The Caelum mansion is mostly pristine, with minor dusting to be done in hallways that look as if they've never been touched. He hums as he takes out a rag and works on making some of the pictures shine. There are a few of a small little boy, young with an excited smile. Regis is holding him in his arms, and there's something oddly familiar about the boy's face. He must have seen it somewhere, but he can't quite place it. Perhaps just an odd bout of déjà vu.

After vacuuming the carpets in the hallway, Ignis makes his way back downstairs to the laundry room. There are piles of clothes there, and he moves those to the wash to get a load started while he takes to the kitchen. He still hasn't seen Noctis, but he assumes the boy will come to the kitchen when he's hungry, so what better place to wait to introduce himself.

He told himself this was just a job, nothing to be excited about, simply something to provide him money for his education, and yet when he steps into the kitchen, his jade eyes twinkle. The kitchen is large and the pots are draped in the middle from a hanging placement in the air. Glancing around the large space, he realizes this is not only the most beautiful kitchen he's ever laid eyes upon, but they also have every possible cooking utensil known to man.

On top of that, he opens the pantry and sees shelves full of various food and ingredients, spices, anything he could possibly imagine. Ignis could faint. Perhaps he could use this time to perfect some of the recipes he'd been meaning to try. Regis wanted Noctis to eat healthier, so he could be his guinea pig.

It's close enough to dinner time that Ignis believes he can justify pulling out some food to start dinner prep. With a hum, he tugs an apron over his shirt and he pulls out a knife, ready to dice some carrots.

"Ignis?"

Hearing his name from an unfamiliar voice is jarring, and yet the inflection and tone of the sound stirs heart. He doesn't remember where he's heard the sound before, but it makes his eyebrow twitch, and his heart throb momentarily.

Turning around, he comes face to face with someone he can only assume is Noctis. He's pale with dark hair that frames his high cheeks, and his cobalt eyes are staring at Ignis like he's seeing some sort of a ghost. He's beautiful actually, shockingly so, and Ignis can't pull his eyes away. He looks so familiar, and yet Ignis can't place where he's seen his face before.

"Ah! Yes, hello, you must be Noctis," he says quickly, wiping his hands on the apron, and he swears Noctis looks strangely sad when he says that. "I apologize I'm sure it's quite odd to see a stranger in your kitchen."

Noctis flicks his gaze downward, and purses his lips, his fingers curling around his wrist. "Uh, yeah...guess so," he mumbles.

"I assume your father told you about me since you were familiar with my name, but yes, I am Ignis the new...butler," he says, hesitating at the word. His position doesn't have an exact title, but he doesn't wish to call himself a sitter or a maid.

"Yeah I know," Noctis says. "And yeah, I'm Noctis."

His voice is quiet, and Ignis can't help but notice he seems uncomfortable. He keeps shifting his weight and changing his focus. "I do apologize again, I'm sure it was odd to come into the kitchen and see a stranger."

Noctis flares his nostrils at the statement and shrugs. "S'fine," he sighs. "Look, I don't eat vegetables, and my Dad's gonna get you to try, but don't bother."

Ignis raises his eyebrow and folds his arms. "Don't bother? Some of the recipes I make require veggies. They're a crucial part of the meal, and I promise you, in some of these dishes you won't even taste them."

Noctis folds his arms too, narrowing his eyes. "I doubt it," he snorts. Without another word, Noctis takes a seat at the breakfast bar, and rests his head on his hand, watching as Ignis moves about the kitchen.

Admittedly, it makes him a bit nervous, as if Noctis is checking on him, making sure he’s doing things correctly. Maybe he'll report back to his father if things seem to go wrong. To distract himself from such anxious thoughts, Ignis decides to make small talk.

"Are you a student, Noctis?" Ignis asks.

"Yup. Last year of high school," he states, and Ignis notices he's pulled out his phone, his finger flicking over the screen. Seems Noctis is not watching him, but perhaps he's hungry and waiting for his food.

"That's good! Do you have university plans?"

"Nope."

"Ah? Don't feel like going...?" Ignis asks, shocked the son of a well off business man wouldn't be continuing his education.

"Nah. I will. I just...don't really care where," he shrugs, keeping his eyes locked on his phone screen.

"Oh?" Ignis asks, turning the stove on as he begins to sauté together his dish. "What about friends? Do they have plans? Perhaps you could go with one of them," Ignis suggests. He doesn't know why advice starts pouring from his lips, but it's so natural and easy to do with the other.

A sigh leaves Noctis' lips. "Don't really have friends. Most people wanted to know me cause they knew I was rich. Didn't wanna be friends with people like that," he explains.

"That is...very fair," Ignis says, and decides it best to drop the subject.

Tossing his dish onto a plate, he mixes the chicken together with some of the chopped carrots and celery into a light broth he'd been boiling.

"Here," Ignis smiles. "Try this soup, I think you'll find it tastes mostly of chicken."

Much to his chagrin, Noctis picks out every veggie, not even eating one.

~~

Ignis has begun to see why Regis Lucis Caelum calls his son lazy. There _is_ no better word for it. Noctis seems to spend his afternoons and weekends lazing about, either sleeping or playing video games. Though occasionally he does come out of his room cave to watch Ignis cook and have a conversation.

Even his speaking pattern is lazy, most words said on a sigh, or mumbled. He's quiet, but Ignis doesn't mind, and he never has a problem understanding. There are a lot of things Ignis seems to just _get_ with Noctis, as though he's been working there for years instead of a mere two weeks.

Noctis' behavior probably should bother him, and yet it feels so routine. He makes Noctis' bed, does his laundry, keeps the house clean, and cooks, desperately trying to find a way to get the boy to eat vegetables.

Everything about Noctis feels natural. It's just supposed to be a job; Ignis keeps reminding himself of this fact, and yet, he finds himself eager to get on the train, to see Noctis and cook for him. He spends precious study time looking up possible recipes and ways to hide vegetables from Noctis' picky taste buds.

They've fallen into a pattern, and Ignis can't break himself from it, nor does he want to. He _likes_ Noctis. Perhaps a little too much.

"Iggy, I told you," Noctis says, a chuckle slipping from his lips. "Nothing you do is gonna make me eat vegetables."

"I will find something. You don't even know what's in this one." It's been his latest strategy. If he doesn't tell Noctis what's in the dish, he can't possibly know that there are vegetables in it.

"You never will. Trust me, I _know_. You've tried this before," Noctis hums, flicking at his phone screen.

Ignis pauses, tilting his head. "What? You have not tried this particular dish, Noctis. I think you will be surprised."

Noctis' cheeks heat up, and he purposefully keeps his eyes on his phone screen. "I-I just meant you've tried to sneak veggies by me before and it's never worked," he mumbles.

"That does not mean I won't keep trying," he snorts. This time he's made a potato dish, fluffy and savory, the veggies are chopped so finely, wedged between the clouds of potatoes.

Noctis takes a few bites, swallowing it with a grimace. "The texture is weird," he sighs. "Told ya'."

Ignis sighs, smirking as he does, his head shaking from side to side. "I swear Noctis, you're only doing it to be difficult."

Noctis smirks right back, putting his fork down. "Why would I lie?"

Ignis grabs the plate back from him. "Because you're stubborn, and I know your tastes buds after cooking for you for years and I can't imagine you would actually taste-" He pauses, unsure of why he said years when it's only been a few weeks. An...odd mistake.

His eyes meet Noctis' deep blues, they're wide, and open, blinking. Was what he said really that strange? It's hard to tear his own gaze away from Noctis' stunning blue eyes, but he quickly remembers his place. "I...apologize I meant weeks. A simple misspeak."

"Guess it probably feels like years doesn't?"

"When you're this picky...yes."

They both laugh.

~~

Noctis is in the dreams now, the foreboding fear of _something_ growing stronger and stronger. The colors are even sharper, Noctis' deep blue eyes burning into Ignis' mind. Sometimes they laugh, their small chuckles warming Ignis' heart. He's so close there, like Ignis can reach out and touch him, press their lips together and hold him close. 

They're always driving, Noctis' hair flowing in the breeze, the smallest of smiles on his face. It's a subtle look, but Ignis knows every part of Noctis' face, every mark, every dimple, every expression which crosses his brow. In his dream, Noctis is his world, all consuming and everything Ignis wants. Whenever he's there, lost in the dream world, he never wants to let Noctis go.

Because sometimes it feels like Noctis is getting further and further away from him.

And that, more than anything, is terrifying to Ignis. Losing Noctis is not something he is capable of doing. And yet he wonders why he's so attached after barely a month of working for him. Maybe it's because of the strange dreams that make Ignis feel like Noctis is someone far more important than he is.

But then sometimes, it doesn't feel anything like a dream.

"Whatcha makin'?" Noctis asks, staring at his phone as he normally does, flicking his finger over the screen.

"Does it really matter? Most likely you're going to tell me you don't wish to eat it," Ignis snorts, chopping up a few onions to place in the hot soup he's making.

Noctis raises his eyebrow and looks up at Ignis. "Yeah, not if you're gonna put those in there," he smirks.

"I promise you, Noct, you-"

_"Just call me, Noctis, or Noct, or whatever,"_

_"But Your-"_

_"I call you Iggy."_

_"That's...different."_

_"How?"_

_"Well I'm not...anyone important"_

_"Doesn't matter. You're my best friend, Ignis..."_

_"Fine...Noct..."_

The voices are younger but they're so distinctly _theirs_ Ignis can't imagine who else they could possibly belong to.

"Ignis? Hello? You in there?" When he focuses on where he is, Noctis is directly in front of him, and Ignis jumps, taking a step back.

"Ah! Noctis you scared me."

"What the hell, dude, _you_ scared _me_!" Noctis says, folding his arms with a sigh. "You got all spaced out and then grabbed the side of the counter like you were going to pass out.

"I apologize...I don't know what came over me." He reaches for a glass and pours himself some water, drinking it down fast. His mouth feels parched, his body tired. Where had those voices come from? And why were they so clear, as if they'd been in the room with them.

"Well if you need to sit down or something, s'not a big deal." Noctis mumbles, taking a step back as he sits on the breakfast bar stool. "You won't get fired for sitting on the job," he teases.

"Thank you," Ignis smiles. "But I am quite alright. Just a weird dizzy spell. Oftentimes when it rains so much like this, I forget to drink water." It's a poor lie, but it feels strange to bring up an odd flashback that Ignis knows doesn't exist. And yet, the curiosity is too much for him to bear.

"Noctis-"

"You can call me Noct, it's not a big deal," he shrugs. "We spend enough time together I think it makes sense, and I've started calling you Iggy."

It's like the conversation is repeating in his head.

"Right...well then," Ignis says, returning to his meal preparation. "Noct, did we...ever meet before? I keep having the oddest feeling you're very familiar," he says, a laugh slipping through his lips. "Gosh, I don't know what it is I am saying. I'm sure that sounds odd, we aren't the type of people who would ever run in the same circles."

Noctis is silent, not answering, just staring. His dark eyes are the widest Ignis has ever seen them. Perhaps he's offended him.

"I-I apologize," Ignis begins, but Noctis quickly shakes his head.

"S-Sorry, I thought you were...a little familiar the first time I saw you too..." There's so much unexplained hesitation in his voice, and Ignis doesn't quite know how to interpret it.

"I suppose it must just be an odd feeling," Ignis says.

"Yeah, guess so."

~~

Noctis tells Ignis he doesn't need to come this weekend because he's going on a weekend fishing and camping trip with his friend Gladio. Ignis tries to hide the disappointment in this voice, but he's sure Noctis can tell.

"You wanna come?" Noctis asks, after a bout of silence settles between them.

"Come?" Ignis replies. "Oh no, I would never want to butt in on a special trip with you and your friend!"

"Nah, it's not a big deal. Plus Gladio sucks at cooking anything beside Cup Noodles, so if you're really feeling weird about coming as a friend you can pretend I'm paying you to come as, uh, my personal chef."

Friend. The word feels so foreign to Ignis, something he hasn't heard in such a long time. Any friends he had tried to make in school had immediately left when they realized he was far too interested in academics as opposed to anything else.

"Well I suppose that isn't a terrible idea. Your father would be very displeased if he knew you were spending an entire weekend surviving off of Cup Noodles."

"Yup."

So Ignis decides to go on the trip. He can't remember the last time he's been camping, or really spent an elongated period outdoors. He's not against it, but he does feel much more comfortable indoors.

They meet at the campsite, and Ignis is surprised by the look of Gladio, a tall muscular man with some sort of bird tattoo down his arms. Noctis looks tiny in comparison to the other.

"Gladiolus," he says, "but you can call me Gladio." He holds out his hand to Ignis. "Nice to meet you."

"Yes, it is very nice to meet you too, Gladio," Ignis nods, and shakes his hand with a smile. Once again, however, Ignis is met with a familiar feeling. Gladio's voice, his face, his mannerisms, Ignis feels like he's known the guy for much longer than an hour.

"So how did you two meet?" Ignis asks, setting up the portable kitchen set Noctis had given to him for the weekend.

"Our dads are friends," Gladio explains. "We've been friends since we were kids since my dad and his are business partners."

"I see," Ignis nods. That certainly explained things. Gladio and Noctis looked like very opposite people, and yet somehow they worked.

"We try and take these trips a few times a year. Noct likes to fish for as long as he likes, and I just like bein' under the stars." It has an oddly romantic feel to it, not that Ignis thinks there is anything more going on between the two of them, but the outdoor trip, away from everything, is a beautifully poetic notion.

"That sounds very nice."

"Yeah, if you're as good of a chef as Noctis says you are, you can join us for the next one," Gladio winks, standing up to finish prepping the tent.

Ignis blushes when he realizes Noctis speaks of him.

Noctis is already fishing down by the dock, and Ignis stares at his back, his head spinning as he stares at the scene.

_"You don't have to stay with me."_

_"Of course I do, Noct."_

_"But...isn't it kind of boring watching someone else fish?"_

_"Not really, I enjoy watching you do the things you love."_

_"...R-Right..."_

_"Don't look so surprised. Plus, what are you going to do if you pull in a fish too large for you to handle on your own?"_

_"Hey! I can handle all the fish on my own!"_

"Ignis?" Gladio's hand is on his back when he shakes the moment off.

"Gladio?"

"You okay, bud?" he asks, concern flicking across his golden eyes.

"Y-Yes. I just spaced out for a moment." This is the second time the dreams, or whatever they are, have slipped into his daily life. It's a bit concerning, wondering if these dreams are some sort of strange alternate reality he's bouncing between.

"Yeah I saw," Gladio mumbles, and he glances down. "Drink some water."

"I will." That did help last time, barely.

Instead, he makes his way down to the dock to stand by Noctis.

"Hey Specs," he says, calling out from over his shoulder.

"Specs? That's a new one," he chuckles, though he wonders how new it really is. Things in his head feel so jumbled as of late, like he's swimming through a thick, foggy swamp and he doesn't know where to find land.

"You don't like it?" Noctis asks, raising his eyebrow at him.

"No, no, it's quite alright. I suppose I...never expected to become so close to my employer’s son," he admits.

Noctis simply shrugs.

"It...doesn't bother me," Ignis adds quickly.

"Good," Noctis says bluntly, and the two of them stay on the dock until the sun sets below the horizon.

~~

Cooking for Noctis and Gladio is fun, and Ignis finds himself laughing more during those two days than he has in quite a long time. The colors on the campsite are so vibrant and alive, just like his dream world. The leaves are a bright green, breathing the colors of spring, and the blue of the lake shimmers against the sun.

He loves the cool night air as it sets in, and steam from the pots waft into his nose. They're roasting the fish Noctis caught, and Ignis is making vegetables for him and Gladio (and hopefully Noctis but he's not holding his breath).

The three have fallen into a perfect social rhythm, and though they don't always talk, the feeling of comfort wraps around them, and keeps them warm by the fire.

When Ignis sleeps, he dreams of camping, and Gladio is there now too. There's laughter, and fire glistening against their skin, and Ignis suddenly realizes he can't tell the difference between the campsite they're sharing now, and the one illuminated in his dream. 

All he knows is how at home he feels with the other two.

The next morning, Ignis starts reluctantly packing up when he catches a glimpse of a conversation. Normally, he wouldn't listen, but Noctis is biting on his lip hard, and he looks slightly agitated.

"So you're not going to tell him?" Gladio mutters, rolling his eyes.

"And say what?" Noctis snaps, keeping his arms tucked close to his chest. "You know how he is, even if I do tell him, he's not going to believe me."

"I don't know..." Gladio shrugs. "You never know."

"He's so logical, he won't believe..."

Gladio cuts him off. "Yeah we both didn't and then we talked, and then we did. He's obviously seeing flashes of it."

"Maybe..." Noctis grunts and shifts his weight. He looks uncomfortable, and Ignis silently wonders if they're talking about him, but he has no idea what it could possibly be in regards to.

"You could at least tell him your feelings. I assume those haven't changed either." At that, Noctis blushes, and Ignis almost drops the pan in his hand.

"Forget it, Gladio. I'm not saying a word unless he says something first," he snaps, and storms towards the car.

~~

Ignis knows he probably should be more concerned about these strange lapses of reality he keeps having. Usually it's flashes of him and Noctis spending time together. Sometimes they sound younger, and sometimes they're the same age as they are now, occasionally they're older. Whenever that happens though, Ignis always feels a strange sense of darkness, like he's surrounded by fog again, but it's pitch black, not a light to be seen.

Reality has become a strange thing, a temporary space for him to occupy until the next vision takes him by surprise completely. They're getting longer, and his dreams are growing more vivid, and it probably should be worrying, but Ignis keeps relishing them. Clinging to the little pieces of Noctis he gets to see every night. It's become impossible to separate the two, as they're both mostly the same.

But then, the dreams start to become nightmares. The first happens when he sees Noctis lying on the ground, the rain pattering against his body. He can't tell if he's dead, but his body isn't moving, and no matter how hard Ignis tries, he can't seem to yell out for him, his own body frozen on the ground. When he tries to move his hand, darkness takes over and Noctis disappears from his view.

He wakes up in a cold sweat that morning.

The second nightmare comes only a few nights later, and he watches as Noctis gets pulled into a strange blue crystal. He's screaming out, crying for Ignis and no matter how fast Ignis seems to run, Noctis moves further and further away from him.

And really, that's always the feeling behind the dreams; Noctis slowly slipping through his fingers. Despite his best effort, despite how hard he tries, he always watches as he can't quite reach him, in whatever way his twisted mind decides to see fit.

"Y'know," Noctis begins one evening. "You really should take a lesson from me, and learn to sleep more. You look exhausted Iggy."

He sighs, continuing to fold up the clothes he took out of the wash. He doesn't know how to explain to Noctis he feels like he's literally descending into some strange form of madness. He's sure Noctis will think he's crazy, or delusional, and the last thing he needs is to get fired from the one good thing he absolutely adores doing.

He doesn't know when he came to love this job so much, but somewhere along the way it happened, and he's not quite ready to give it up. And actually, when he really thinks about it, he's not sure if it's the job he loves, or the guy standing right in front of him.

"Yes I've had a few restless nights," he answers.

"Figured. You gotta rest more. What's keeping you up at night?" Noctis asks, looking genuinely curious.

"Ah...just some odd dreams," he says.

"Odd how?" Noctis inquires, and he looks very invested in Ignis' response, though Ignis can’t fathom why Noctis would care about something like this.

"I suppose you could say they feel very real?" Ignis explains. "I keep feeling like I'm descending into some strange alternate reality. Goodness, even speaking this out loud makes me sound ridiculous. Dreams are not real," he says. He doesn't tell him about the flashes and lapses he's having in reality. At least with dreams he can brush them off as hyper-realistic.

Noctis bends down, kneeling in front of the laundry basket. His dark eyes meet Ignis', a strange, knowing look in his eyes. "Do you think they’re real, Iggy?"

It's such an odd question, and Noctis' face is so close to his, Ignis doesn't know how to respond. He looks so serious, and Ignis swallows, thinking over the past few dreams swirling around in his head.

"They...can't be...right?" he says slowly. Noctis keeps his face close to Ignis' own, still leaning over the laundry basket. His heart throbs, seeing Noctis so close, he's reminded of just how beautiful he really is. He wants to kiss him in that moment, they’re close and it’s almost as if Ignis can hear Noctis' heart beating just as fast as his.

"...Right," Noctis says finally, nudging his shoulder playfully, and sits back with a sigh. He almost looks disappointed, his eyes closing shut as he stands back up, finally acting somewhat normal again.

"A-Anyway," Ignis says, placing the last shirt down. "I'll be putting these upstairs and then I'll be down to make dinner?"

"'Kay," Noctis mutters.

Ignis knows he really needs to stop focusing on the stupid, _not real_ dreams, and focus on his budding feelings for his employer's son. It's probably borderline creepy, even if Noctis is 18 and he's only 20, and there are times when it feels like Noctis is interested in _something_ perhaps? But Ignis has never been good at reading those sorts of signs.

~~

He can't see him but he knows Noctis is going to die. He hears the echo of his footsteps as he walks up the steps, and he can feel his aura getting further and further away. Noctis has always known he was going to die, and admittedly Ignis has as well. This is the feeling that every dream until this moment has led up to. The feeling of Noctis slowly moving farther and farther away, out of Ignis' reach.

There are so many things he wants to scream out, but just like his sight, his voice seems to be missing. He knows this is what Noctis has to do, but this isn't even close to what Ignis wants him to do.

_Don't go..._

He's almost up the stairs.

_Don't go where I cannot follow you..._

Now he can barely hear anything, not even a step.

_I love you..._

And just like that, he knows Noctis is gone, and Ignis wakes up.

It takes him a moment to situate in his room, and he scrambles for his phone. It's late, but knowing Noctis he'll most likely still be awake playing his silly little phone game.

Sure enough, he picks up.

"Iggy? It's almost 1 in the morning, what are you doing?"

"Oh thank god...Noctis...I..." he pauses, not sure what to say to him. He wanted to hear his voice? Wanted to make sure he was alive? How ridiculous would that sound? He sighs, letting out a long breath.

"Ignis?" he repeats, his voice filled with concern, and he sounds far more awake than he did a moment ago.

"Sorry, Noct...I apologize for calling so late. I had...a very bizarre dream where you died and I-...it's quite foolish of me...I'm sorry for bothering you."

Noctis is quiet, but Ignis can hear the sound of his ragged breathing. "O-Oh...one of those really realistic ones again, huh?"

"...yes," Ignis says, and he's glad Noctis can't see how red his face is.

"Well," he chuckles. "I'm definitely alive."

"I can tell," Ignis laughs with him, feeling foolish. "I will see you in the afternoon then."

"Yup, see ya’. Try and get some rest Specs."

He tries, but all he can think about is his strange feelings.

~~

Focusing in school is difficult, as Ignis keeps thinking about the dream. He knows it's illogical to be so affected by something. Noctis is alive and well, and thinking anything else is just foolish. He knows he'll feel better when he's at the Caelum mansion, doing his job. He always feels better and more relaxed around Noctis anyway.

Stepping on the train he wonders what could be triggering such strong dreams which leave him with such a visceral reaction. Normally they're caused by stress, but the only thing stressing Ignis out lately has been this.

Well, and his inexplicable feelings for Noctis.

He takes a seat and glances out the window, trying to focus on anything but the dream, and Noctis, and his feelings, but it's so damn hard when he has nothing else to focus on. School feels boring comparatively, and the only other thing he has is Noctis and his job.

Noctis, who he can only seem to imagine walking up the stairs, ready to die. But why? Why was he dying? What was he doing? None of it made sense. Why would Noct sacrifice himself-

Groaning, Ignis rests his head on the window of the train, staring out. The rain splatters against the glass, and Ignis watches as the droplets slowly trickle down.

He steps off the train, and slowly begins to walk towards the Caelum mansion, walking down the long pathway lined with trees. He's about to start the climb up the front steps of the mansion, but pauses when he feels the dream start to take over again. His foot rests on the first step, reminded of how badly he wished to follow Noctis.

_Don't go where I cannot follow you..._

He hears the words echoing in his head and he lets the umbrella topple to the ground momentarily as his head begins to ache.

_I love you..._

He clenches his eyes shut, the rain soaking his hair, making it fall flat against his head.

_My prince..._

Ignis' eyes shoot open and he stares at the ground, the grey world growing lighter and lighter as flashes of memories hit him faster than he can fully process.

_He's shaking Noctis' hand as a child, and he's told he needs to take care of him._

_He cleans Noctis' apartment, since the prince is lazy and often won't do it himself unless Ignis helps him._

_He's kissing the prince for the first time, even though it's wrong, he loves him so much he can't help it._

_They leave Insomnia, saying goodbye to Regis right before the city falls and they're left homeless. Noctis, now prince of a broken land._

_They journey together, cook together, laugh together, and Ignis sleeps with Noctis one time before they make it to Altissa and they know everything will change._

_Slowly his world goes black, but he does it for Noctis, anything to keep him alive, to keep him by his side._

_Ten long years pass, and everyone is in darkness, and still they end up saying goodbye as Noctis' footsteps echo up the stairs, bringing back a sunlight Ignis will never see._

Ignis gasps, realizing he's on his knees, clutching his head. "They're real..." he whispers. "They have to be..." An alternate dimension, a different life, where Noctis is a prince, a king who sacrifices himself to save his people.

Before he can stop himself, Ignis is crying. Tears slowly falling from his eyes, mixing with the rain water streaming down his face. Here, Noctis is alive. Here, he can see, and Gladio's here, and maybe Prompto is somewhere too. The possibilities suddenly seem endless, and Noctis is right up those stairs, waiting for him.

He has to know...he has to. He's seen the way Noctis looks at him sometimes, and all those strange moments of sadness, and how he knew his name immediately without question. There were so many clues, and Ignis had never noticed. And Gladio probably knows too. That's what their conversation was about at the campgrounds...they didn't wish for him to not discover the truth on his own, fearing he would never believe them. Admittedly, he might not have, not until now. Maybe that's why they had dragged him along in the first place, hoping the camping might jog his memory.

Swallowing, he pushes himself up. He has to go to him, has to tell him he remembers now. He runs up the stairs faster than he ever has before, his hand trembling as he inserts the key into the lock.

"Noctis!" he calls out, swinging the door open. "Noct!"

"Iggy?" Noctis comes rushing down the stairs, stopping when he sees how wet he is. "What the hell happened to you!?"

Bowing, Ignis slowly raises back up. "Your Highness," he says slowly. "It seems I've finally found you."

As if in slow motion, Noctis' face slowly lights up. His dark eyes widen, and he runs down the rest of the steps, flinging himself into Ignis' arms. His arms come around Ignis' neck, and he presses their lips together, kissing him hard.

Noctis' hands are warm against his cold, wet skin, and Ignis sighs against his lips. This is it, exactly where he belongs; holding his prince, kissing his prince, loving his prince all over again. He pecks his lips once more, nipping at Noctis' lower. If he has his way, he'll never let go, never again.

"Took you long enough," Noctis breathes out finally.

"So sorry to keep you waiting," Ignis chuckles.

"I guess I can forgive you. Just this once," Noctis teases, leaning his forehead again Ignis'.

"Aren't I lucky?"

"Yup, you are."

Brushing Noctis' bangs out of his face, Ignis stares down at him. "How long have you known? How long have you...remembered?"

"Since I was a kid," Noctis admits. "I was in a car accident and suffered a similar injury that I did in that world, and it all came rushing back," he explains. "I kinda told Gladio about it, and he thought I was just being a kid with an overactive imagination, and then he finally started to remember himself. We've known together for at least four or five years."

"So...long..." Ignis whispers, pressing his lips to Noctis' forehead. "I'm so grateful you at least had each other."

"We looked for you, and Prompto too. Still haven't found Prom...but I wanna keep looking," he mutters. "I was starting to lose hope until my dad told me he'd hired an 'Ignis Scientia' to be our new butler. I can't tell you how hard it was to not hug you when I saw you in my kitchen for the first time."

Both of them laugh, and Ignis decides that warrants another kiss. He's going to be stealing a lot of those now that he can.

"Gods I'm so happy you remember. I wanted to tell you, especially when you were having the dreams, but I didn't want to freak you out even more and you looked so damn tired."

"I appreciate you waiting for me," he whispers.

"Like hell I wouldn't," Noctis chuckles, and seeing him smile warms Ignis' heart. In this world, Noctis can stay alive, there's no need for him to sacrifice anything. In this world, he's just an average person, not a prince, no gods to dictate what he must do. In this life, they have all the time in the world. And for that Ignis has never been more grateful.

Ignis pulls him into a hug. "Good. Let me be at your side for the rest of your life. Don't go...where I cannot follow."

Sighing happily, Noctis squeezes Ignis tight. "Don't worry. I wouldn't have it any other way."

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Day 3 of Ignoct week for the Reincarnation AU prompt. I am such a sucker for reincarnation AUs sooooo I just had to do this! LOL I hope people enjoy!! I am really enjoying finally getting to write some ignoct ;--; they're so lovely!! Thank you to anyone who reads and enjoys this :D and thank you to Adriana for beta-ing so last minute! 
> 
> [emeraldwaves](http://emeraldwaves.tumblr.com/) is my tumblr  
> [musickazoo](https://twitter.com/musickazoo) is my twitter if you wanna yell about this beautiful game with me.


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